Maersk Customs Services, together with KGH, helped a customer speed up cross-border deliveries by managing customs both at origin and destination.

We gift flowers to elegantly communicate our deepest emotions, whether in honour of a celebration, to show gratitude, or to pay tribute following a sombre event. With 80% of the flowers sold in the UK imported from the Netherlands, Maersk, in cooperation with KGH Customs Services, a Maersk Company, ensured that their customer was able to navigate the new Brexit landscape and facilitate the surge in demand in time for Mother’s Day back in March.The customer is one of the UK’s leading temperature-controlled logistics providers, specialising in floriculture and other fresh produce, and conducts daily deliveries to several major UK supermarkets. With multiple delivery locations situated across the southern and northern regions of the UK, completing all the required declarations for their goods as and when they are needed has become an increasingly laborious and manual process. Prior to Brexit, the customer did not face any issues with customs when sending their hauliers across the British border.

Whilst flowers are gifted throughout the year, annual festivities create a significant surge in demand during peak seasons. This can cause issues in transit, as exporters deal with large fluctuations in shipments, at times exceeding 100 shipments a day. The customer was seeking to partner with a customs specialist who could ensure that they continued to operate post-Brexit, without tarnishing their standing. As the end of the Brexit transition period neared, the customer decided to start utilising Maersk Customs Services partnered with KGH, in preparation for the changes the changes that would come into effect in 2021.

This was done as early as possible due to it being a peak season, ensuring that the cut flowers did not face unnecessary delays and perish whilst waiting to clear customs.

This foresight enabled KGH to handle over 100 customs inspections in the rush to deliver flowers in time for Mother’s Day in the UK, with much of the produce being sent to a storage facility in Middlesbrough.

KGH was committed to tailoring their services, making sure the customer was able to satisfy the UK supermarkets’ surge in demand for cut flowers. With a specially created team, combining staff from the Netherlands and the UK, KGH adapted their offering to provide PEACH declarations for the first time. Their dedicated efforts ensured that all the declaration forms were completed over the weekend, to guarantee all border crossings and customs checks in the UK were conducted efficiently.

Under the new GVMS system, exporters of time-sensitive products can no longer manually complete their declarations last minute after loading 50-60 haulage trucks. To guarantee businesses based in the European Union can continue exporting to the UK without disruption under the new changes, KGH’s range of custom services ensures that every process is delivered on time.

By integrating KGH’s European region specialisation with Maersk Customs Services, we are ready to support you on your export journeys. Our staff, based in office locations across the globe, are here to help you improve your trade performance, enhance your operations, and optimise your customs management. Along with our operational services, we also provide software solutions, consultancy, and training, to enhance your integrated supply chain.

Source: Maersk